The last 5 question Friday of 2011!!

1. What's the oldest piece of clothing in your closet?

     I have shirts from when my husband and I started dating which was 1998

2. How many random blog readers have you met?

    None

3. Do you let your kids stay up till midnight on New Years Eve? (Or, if you don't have kiddos yet, did you get to stay up until midnight as a child?)

    A couple years my oldest and his grandpa stayed up until midnight.

4. What are the gas prices where you live?

     $3.05

5. What is one resolution that you know you should do but are too afraid to try? Not sure its a resolution but would love to take a kick boxing class or zumba just to nervous to be around others learning something.

Blake's Christmas Break

Blake has been on Christmas break since December 16 and in that time I have seen him two whole days.... His Grandpa Mitch told him that when school got out for Christmas break he could come and spend some time with them. And since he knew he was out of school for two weeks he told me he was staying there the whole time as they had lots of farming to catch up on.

I got him to come home last Friday night for Christmas weekend and then Sunday after dinner he wanted to go back home with them when he learned his Grandpa was working cows the next day.

So this week he stayed up until yesterday when they dropped him off at my work around 1:30. I was glad to have him here since I had hardly seen him in almost two weeks When he told his Grandpa bye he told Blake he could come back Friday night.

When I asked him what all he had been up to the last two weeks he had hours worth of stuff to tell me about. From feeding cows, moving them to new pastures, placing ear tags in their ears and giving them shots. They had a camp out one night just him and Grandpa at their cabin and took sleeping bags, games, chocolate milk and snacks. Went to the dollar store each day the first week to look and buy new toys (pretty sure he has one of everything they have at that store). Then this week they started building a fence and that is what he wants to go back and help with this weekend since it will be nice out.

While I miss having him home and I know Nathan misses him I am thankful that he has Grandparents that want to spend time like that with him. And a Grandpa that wants to teach him about farming, crops, tractors and cows because one day that farm could be his to take care of. He has always loved being with his Grandpa farming and from the time he was big enough to sit up he was on the tractor with Grandpa and now drives the tractor by himself (Grandpa sits on the wheel well thing and Blake has full control)

Christmas

Well Christmas came and went the weekend was a whirlwind of activity. Saturday afternoon the kids and I went to a friends house to do gifts both boys were tired so you can imagine how long that was. So they took naps before heading to my in laws for Christmas Eve dinner and gifts thankfully they were in much better moods then.

Sunday morning we had to get up early and believe it or not I had to wake both boys up! So we rushed thru the santa gifts and the gifts we got them. Blake got a ripstik from santa and new snow pants as well as a new pair of wranglers. Nathan got a doggie pillow pet, shirt and an Elmo rocks guitar. Both got sleds from santa. From us Blake got new cowboy boots a hooded sweatshirt and another shirt and Nathan got some new John Deere sippy cups and some clothes.

So we rushed them to get ready and out the door by 9:30 to get to my grandparents house where we would do dinner and gifts with them and the rest of my family. I had made stuffed mushrooms, corn casserole and grape salad for our dinner. My grandma was baking the ham, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes and lemon pie banana pie and blackberry cobbler. Well I ended up taking over kitchen duty as well as cooking the 2 sides my mom brought as well as the baked beans and rolls my uncle brought. While cutting the ham I cut my finger (would be nice if Grandma had a knife that would cut thru more than hot butter) in the middle of all my cooking in the kitchen my mom decides to do gifts.... So needless to say I didn't get any pictures or watch my kids open their gifts so we have boxes of stuff they got and no clue who it came from. Plus I have no clue if anyone liked what we got them it was a huge tornado free for all on opening. Luckily dinner went smooth and the boys played very well together all afternoon.

All I can say is I am very glad Christmas dinner will be at our house next year so the boys won't have to rush getting ready and actually get to play with their toys. Also there will be some changes in the way gifts are opened. But at least I got a pre run on being able to handle all side dishes and getting everything on the table in time.

Christmas Already.......

I can't believe its already Christmas and that today is the day before Christmas Eve. Where did the year go? Knowing the end of the year is right around the corner means my evening class starts in a couple weeks. I think its good Christmas and work and the new house has kept me busy so I haven't had to worry about school starting.

Last night I got all the gifts wrapped and under the tree minus the 6 (3 for each boy) from Santa. Still debating on the whole Santa issue. Blake has never really been in to it and well Nathan is still to young so we may opt out of the Santa thing next year or only have one gift from Santa. I also made a cherry cheesecake for my grandma on my dad's side she told me that is what she wanted for Christmas. She is so not the type to say oh I'd like to have this or want this so when she does request something I know its because she really would like it. Apparently my mom used to make her a cheesecake each year for her birthday and sometimes at Christmas. Knowing this and knowing she loves them I think I have the perfect gift for her birthdays from now on.

Blake has been at my mom and stepdad's house since last Friday evening. His grandpa told him when school got out for Christmas he could come and stay a long time. Well mister Blake thinks since school is out for 16 days he can stay the whole time. I told him he has to come home tonight for Christmas and can maybe go back some next week. Been strange having only one kid this week and one night this week Nathan stayed with my in laws which felt really strange on a week night. I will have to blog next week about Blake's adventures in farmland with papa Mitch I am sure he will talk my ear off for hours telling me all about his week.

Normally by this time each year I am super stressed over holiday's and trying to figure out our schedule for Christmas and where to be and when and how long to stay. This year I have tried to let that worry go and it helps that the holiday is during the weekend so we have Saturday and Sunday to split between the families.

Christmas Eve we will go to Don and Brenda's and do a gift exchange with them and then off to my in laws for Christmas Eve dinner and gifts. Then Sunday is open gifts in pjs with the kids, make all my side dishes to take to my grandparents house. Mid morning we will drive to their house and do a Christmas lunch with them my mom, stepdad and Uncle and his friend. Then home to relax or crash from all the non stop action I have done the last few weeks.

So excited that next year we will do Christmas dinner at our new house and won't have to rush the kids around or get out the door at a certain time!.  And since I have mailed out all Christmas cards I can now post our family picture!

The Ride Along......

So I meant to post about the ride along on Monday, then Tuesday and well its now Thursday.

I didn't sleep much Friday night was to nervous I would sleep thru my alarm. Felt like a child going to be on Christmas Eve! So I was up and ready at 6 even though I didn't need to leave until 6:30. A surprise to me was that I was NOT nervous at all I got to the Ambulance base parked and waited for Kathy to show up. We went in together and I still wasn't real nervous about what I was doing more nervous about meeting the others and how they would be with someone there for a ride along and hoping they were all nice.
She introduced me to everyone and then I watched her and her partner for the day do the inspection of the truck and making sure all supplies were there and full and she showed me where everything was located. Then told me that since I wasn't in school yet I would just be watching or maybe carry the bag, and then I was told that I would go out on every call so I could get a full idea of what I was getting in to. That part freaked me out I was like uh remember you said I would be with you all day... She smiled and said you will be just fine and two minutes later the first call came.
Off I went with the crew both of whom I'd just met and knew nothing about, and my first experience ever being in an ambulance but I had a huge smile on my face and was excited. After loading the patient the Paramedic had me help him by handing him this or that or turn this button on or off, I was so nervous and wanted to say hello I am riding along not supposed to do anything!! But I did as he asked and just took it as a pre learning experience for school.

After the first call all the crews met at the hospital for breakfast then headed back to base. Kathy and her partner got called to go on a transfer to Springfield and for a brief moment I was worried about being there alone. But one of the EMT's was super sweet and she stuck with me all day while the others were busy in their rooms or sleeping. Around lunch time she got her partner up and we headed to subway still hadn't been any calls since 7:40 that morning and it was now 1! I was a bit disappointed as they always told me Saturday's were busy busy and well I wasn't having any luck. As we were in line the other crew got a call and as soon as we returned to base we got two bites of sandwich down and we got called out.

In 9 hours of being there on a Saturday they only had 3 calls! And even after I left they only had one or two more that night. I was bummed that there wasn't more calls I wanted some exciting calls. Yes I know that sounds strange but I wanted a good experience of what I would be seeing and doing in school.

But even with only 2 calls that I got to ride along with I loved it and know its something I want to do!

5 Question Friday

1. What is your favorite Christmas cookie?

Grandma's homemade sugar cookies that we roll out cut in to shapes then decorate. We made those every year for as long as I could remember.

2. What's your favorite holiday movie & why?

Shocking I don't have a favorite holiday movie.

3. Is there a gift that you bought for your kids that you wish you hadn't after they opened it?

Not that I have bought but there are a few they have recieved that were extremely noisy and annoying.

4. What is the messiest room in your house right at this moment?

The boy's room and the kitchen table.

5. What is the furthest you have driven for the holidays?

Maybe 5 miles.

Saturday a very anticipated day!

Saturday is almost here, I have been waiting for December 10th for a few weeks now, and waiting to have this opportunity for a few months. Now that it's almost here I am so nervous that I could throw up!

This Saturday I get to go on my first ever ride along with the Ambulance, something I have thought about and dreamed about for years and in two short days it will be reality! I don't start school until sometime in January and was surprised to find out that you can do ride alongs before school starts so you can have some idea of what you are getting in to.

So I have spent the last several days trying to figure out what boots to get asking everyone I could what they recommended, searching for a shirt to wear and one lucky break is I can wear jeans Saturday so I don't have to try and hem my emt pants yet (my sewing skills aren't the greatest). I am nervous, excited and scared all in one and I know once I get there it will be cool, and it helps I will be with a good friend of mine and she is so excited I am making this step.

My boots arrived yesterday via fedex I knew they were on the truck since I had gotten an email that they were in route for delivery. I felt like a kid on Christmas waiting for them to be delivered of course once they came my coworkers were like why on earth would you want those kind of boots etc. I couldn't wait to get them out of the box to realize they are 10in tall and well took me 5 minutes to get one on! They should have came with an instruction video!

Not sure if I will get any pictures of me on Saturday, I just hope I survive and like it. My friend hopes we have a busy day (we have to start at 7am!) and have all different kinds of calls. I am not sure what I hope for of course hope we have some calls but not sure I want have tons or have any bad ones.